COENZYME MODELS - 19. OXIDATION OF FUROIN BY A FLAVIN IMMOBILIZED IN CATIONIC POLYELECTROLYTES - A FLAVOENZYME MODEL.

In the reported study, the rate constants for the oxidation of furoin by a flavin (vitamin B//2 analog) immobilized in catonic polymers were evaluated under anaerobic conditions, and the influence of reaction environments was discussed in connection with the enzymatic reactivity. It was found that (1) proton abstraction from furoin which forms the carbanionic intermediate is rate determining in the initial stage of the reaction and is facilitated by the environment of cationic polymers, (2) proton abstraction is efficiently accelerated by added cationic surfactant (CTAB), and (3) N-dodecylbenzohydroxamic acid in aqueous CTAB acts as an excellent proton-abstracting reagent. the polymers with high dodecyl group content served, in all cases, as better oxidizing reagents. As a summary of these conclusions, the importance of hydrophobic environments in flavin-mediated oxidation was emphasized.